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Ian Roche: Hunters, anglers gather to celebrate Public Lands Day

With many working two jobs and trying to find land here in the Yampa Valley, it is no secret that land is hard to come by. However, we can all find solace in knowing that we are the proud owners of 640 million acres of public land.

These public lands allow us to enjoy the beauties of this nation unlike citizens of any other country around the world. This egalitarian system has been in place since President Teddy Roosevelt began the process of designating land for public use.

Here in the Yampa Valley, it is hard to find someone who doesn’t find peace either skiing the backcountry, hiking or biking the trails, fishing the rivers or hunting the expanse of national forest, state land and Bureau of Land Management land that fills Routt County. Unfortunately, many politicians today do not find these public lands to be of remarkable importance.

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, a national organization advocating for our access to public lands, does know the importance of these lands and fights everyday to preserve our ability to enjoy them. It is important to let our local, state and national representatives know that we want our access to be preserved and that they should listen to their constituents, not the lobbyists that advocate for the privatization of our land.

To help capture and distill the voice of Routt County, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers will be holding a Public Lands Pint Night at Storm Peak Brewing Company at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27. This will be a great opportunity to speak with a wide range of outdoorsmen and women.

Anyone interested in public lands and outdoor recreation is invited to come and share in the experience of advocating for our public lands. BHA hopes to see you there and is excited to capture the enthusiasm for the outdoors that runs deep through Northwest Colorado.

Ian Roche

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers member


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